The invention relates to weatherstripping, especially resilient elastomeric weatherstripping that is used to seal the doors or decklid openings of automobiles. Suth weatherstripping is generally comprised of a hollow bulbous portion which acts to seal the space between to automobile parts, and an integrally formed device for holding the weatherstripping in place between the parts. The stiffness of the material and the wall thickness, shape and size of the bulbous portion all affect the closing of the doors or decklids.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,263,750 and 4,348,443 are typical of the many patents which disclose a bulbous portion which is hollow and has an oval or circular cross-section that is integral with a carrier which has angularly disposed tabs of fingers for holding onto a metal strip to which the carrier is secured. British Patent No. 2,163,470-A discloses a carrier which is somewhat like that of the invention, except that the abutments projecting into the opening of the carrier are designed to be overridden by the stops which are on the resilient fingers as indicated above. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,030,245; 4,114,320 and 4,374,880 disclose similar bulbous portions and carriers. U.S. Pat. No. 2,969,252 discloses a bulbous portion with a vent for allowing the escapement of air from within the bulbous portion as it becomes distorted.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,126,590 discloses a refrigerator gasket which comprises two semi-circular bulbous portions, the outer portion having a thicker sidewall than the lower portion to apparently promote bending or collapse of the lower portion before the outer portion. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,498,851 and 2,880,049 disclose bulbous portions with uniform thickness walls, so that bending of a desired area of the seal is probably accomplished by the shape of the bulbous portion.
The invention is directed to an improved weatherstrip with good sealing and wrapping around characteristics.